AMU Engineering 2018 solved paper Solved Paper

β -hydroxy carbonyl compound is obtained by the action of NaOH on CH3CHO as follows:

CH3CHO

Acetaldehyde

+CH3CHO

Dil.NaOH

──────▸

CH3− OH | CH β − CH2 α − O ∥ C −H

β−hydroxy‌butanol

Mechanism
Step-I Formation of enolate ion Step-II Attack of enolate ion on carbonyl group of second molecule of acetaldehyde.
Step-III Anion (I) abstracts a hydrogen from water to form β -hydroxy, carbonyl compound.